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Evaluating the subtle impact of a ban on corporal punishment of children in Germany
Author(s) -
Bussmann KaiD.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
child abuse review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1099-0852
pISSN - 0952-9136
DOI - 10.1002/car.866
Subject(s) - corporal punishment , sanctions , punishment (psychology) , psychology , government (linguistics) , german , criminology , perception , law , political science , social psychology , geography , linguistics , philosophy , archaeology , neuroscience
Abstract In 2000, the German Government passed a law prohibiting physical punishment in the family. A pre–post research design allows for an examination of its effects. The results of nationwide representative surveys on the experiences, perceptions, legal knowledge and attitudes of adolescents and parents are discussed. The recent surveys reveal a signicant decrease in the prevalence of corporal punishments and a high acceptance of the legal prohibition. In particular, awareness of the legal limits of parental physical sanctions has increased signicantly. For these reasons, the prohibition of corporal punishment can be said to have had an impact on the reduction of family violence against children in Germany. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.